


Consomniamus

by Schalakitty, wickedorin



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Basically Lots of Feels, Canon Disabled Character, Dream Setting, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, ending spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-29
Updated: 2016-12-29
Packaged: 2018-09-13 00:53:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9098359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schalakitty/pseuds/Schalakitty, https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: The skies are painted with unnumbered sparks, They are all fire and every one doth shine, But there’s but one in all doth hold his place – William Shakespeare, Julius CaesarA Dream set after the Dawn.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Schala here! As I was the lead on this fic, I figured I'd take care of the author's notes. I don't want to give too much way, but there are three things to note before you start reading this fic -
> 
>   1. This fic includes spoilers from the end of Chapter 9 on to the end of the game. So please don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. This fic also includes references to Episode Duscae and Platinum Demo.
>   2. As Ignis could see for the majority of his life, we're writing him as still having dreams with visual elements. But we have tried to account for the differences between the dreams of those who are sighted and those who are blind. More details on this in the ending notes.
>   3. While in no way a sequel, this fic is very much a spiritual successor to “[Sword Sworn and Heart Bound](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8664556).” So let that be a gauge for if you'll like this fic.
> 

> 
> That's it for now so please enjoy. As always, Ignis is written by Schala and Noctis is written by Orin. Square-Enix owns Final Fantasy XV and we're still picking up the pieces of our broken hearts.

Even after the Dawn broke, ten years of darkness had left Ignis with an irregular sleeping schedule at best. He attempted to stick to regular waking hours but sometimes he slipped in one direction or another. Today he was uncharacteristically late to settle down, mind still buzzing with a thousand ideas. Yet somehow, he still managed a rare encounter with REM sleep hours after settling in.

But that anxiety found a new foothold within his desaturated dreamscape, forming itself into towering shelves spiraling upwards, bursting with books and documents. Dusty light shone down from fractured fractal chandeliers, cobbled together from childhood memories of days spent wandering the Hall of History as he waited for his mother's shift to end. Loose pages shuffled themselves into mountains and molehills all about the slick marble floors, filled with nothing but long faded words. Ignis himself remained in the swirling center of it all, his hazy form draped across a large plush couch as he let it all drift past him for a moment.

The sound of footsteps was something appropriately uncertain, carefully designed to be "dream-like", unable to be focused on if attempted, though still there in the background for a few seconds. Noctis had managed to successfully slip into the dreams of the other two, Gladiolus and Prompto, testing his ability gently on the third. After a few seconds of silence, there was a notably crisp snap of a quickly closed book. "You really _do_ study even in your sleep." Came the nonchalant observation from a familiar voice somewhere behind the dreamer, the book in his hand falling away to nothing as it was simply allowed to slip from his hand.

He sat up slowly, _cautiously_ , as if disbelieving for a moment. Glancing over the edge of the couch, Ignis caught sight of the visitor.... and his stomach lurched. Against the blurry shades of beige and gray of his dreamscape, the figure stood out in vivid detail and intense color even when dressed in black. But those same details and the ways they differed from the dreams of the past decade only made Ignis suspicious. "Noct?" He asked directly while standing up, seeking out answers in measured steps closer. Even dreams had a logic to them and this presence threatened to break all of that down. And yet, he still asked, "Is that... _you?_ "

All of the reactions were unique. Prompto had been surprised, but accepted him as part of the dream right away. Gladio only reached over and mussed his hair as if there'd never been any separation. Ignis... well, yes, Ignis' reaction was different still. Not quite as "easy" as the others, but then Noctis supposed he didn't expect it to be. "Who else would brave a maze of books to find you?" He asked with a little grin, still trying to blend in, be a "natural" part of the other man's thoughts.

Walking closer with anxious steps, the disbelief remained clear in Ignis' features - regardless of them being as vaguely defined as the rest of his dreaming form. " _Noctis_ , this is _you_ , isn't it?" He struggled to come to grips with the idea but only one truth remained. Hand settling on the other's right shoulder, just as Noct had greeted him after that long wait, he continued, "This isn't _just_ a dream, is it?" As if to offer proof, the walls of books groaned and shuddered before starting to shed photographs like autumn leaves. Not images from the world itself but from the world within - showing Noctis young and eager but features always in soft focus, the finer details lost without the constant reminder of sight.

He supposed he _knew_ when those eyes focused on him, for a moment becoming crystal clear before blending into the rest of Ignis' dream-form. Noctis still hadn't managed to develop much of a poker face, his surprise reflected in his expression; and he could lie. In theory, it was possible. But he wouldn't (and probably _couldn't_ ) to the man before him. The touch was welcome, but his throat restricted painfully at the photographs, the images... _Oh._ Leave it to Ignis to make him realize how large his oversight had been without a single word. Swallowing, the smile on his lips was sheepish as he reached to place a hand on the brunet's own. "Guess you caught me, Specs. Should have known better, right?"

" _Noct_ ," he must've said that name a thousand – no, a _million_ \- times over the course of his life, but never had it been imbued with such surprise or joy. Without hesitation, he drew his prince - his _king_ \- into a tight embrace as if Noctis would shatter and scatter away into stardust at any moment. "I don't even _care_ how its possible.... I never thought....." Ignis' voice stalled there, emotion clutching tight around his throat. And yet he pushed through, "I'd get to _see_ you again."

Noctis _couldn't_ speak at first. It seemed like way too much effort, lacking a physical body be damned; it was too good and perfect a moment to do anything but embrace Ignis in return. Motes of light momentarily shed from him, revealing himself more or less as he was, as he'd been, dressed in the suit of a king, hair longer, stubble on his face, but the haggardness that had come with the last days of his life were no more. Catching breath he didn't need, he squeezed the other man just the slightest it more tightly before clearing his throat. "You're too damn perceptive, you know that?" He teased, needed to. Explaining... well, he didn't suppose an explanation was required.

"Always _needed_ to be," Ignis assured quietly. "Even more so now." He could feel the shift under his hands, caught it amid the flash of light. Encouraging him enough to pull back and take in a face he'd only seen in his mind's eye before. Once, the deepening of Noct's _voice_ marked his maturity but to see it also reflected in regal features... "Just look at you," he murmured, words brimming with delighted reverence. Just as his eyes - brighter than in the waking world, though not quite their original emerald green - grew so soft as he repeated, " _Look_ at you..."

Ignis never had a chance to see him, after... well, of course the king _knew_ that, intellectually. The blindness wasn't something to be ignored or forgotten, but it wasn't really until that _moment_ , when the other man was so obviously taking in every detail, that Noctis understood what that _meant_. He wasn't just trying to play it off with a joke, but the humor... helped him accept it all, to understand and remain still before that gaze. "Has the passage of time ravaged my once-youthful features?"

He tilted his head at the question even as he knew it to be a joke. But the answer that came back was surprisingly sincere, "I was.... just thinking of how much of your father I see in you. I know he would've been _proud_ of you." Voice turning softer, Ignis added in a quiet confession, "We're all proud to have served the Last King of Lucis."

There was _pain_ in his smile, in the way he almost flinched; but didn't. Not fully, not quite. A part of him didn't really give a damn about the distant past, the history of his bloodline, but his _father_... Noctis shook his head slightly, small smile a little forced to start, not wanting Ignis to think he'd said something wrong. "Yeah, I... I hope all of this pain ended with me. Not a bad way to be remembered." He admitted, voice rough and soft, for a moment not completely able to meet those green eyes before he tried to shove it all aside, sighing lightly. "No one could have had better companions." _And then some..._

He faced a question few ever encountered - _what do you say to the deceased?_ Turning that thought over as best he could given their dream-like state, Ignis offered, "We're trying to carry on the legacy. To rebuild where we can and start anew otherwise." For one a moment, barely more than a heartbeat, the bookshelves around them flickered into skyscrapers, the configuration one both long forgotten and well remembered. "Insomnia is rising from the ashes, one _day_ at a time...."

Taking a deep breath, there was a far easier smile on the king's lips with that information. It wasn't as if he'd ever doubted it, ever doubted that the survivors would carry on, would rebuild the future. "I'm... glad, Ignis. You don't know how glad I am..." He trailed off into a little laugh, fairly certain that wasn't true. "No. Everyone who was at my side knows. And you... you sense the light?"

Tapping the spot beside his good eye - though here his scar appeared softer and far more faded - Ignis explained, "It's not really _here_ that I sense it, though I'm aware of the rising and setting of the sun." With a fond shake of his head, he continued, "It's in the sweet warmth of the wind, the fresh taste of the water, the verdant scent of the trees, the bright song of the birds - all the evidence of blessed _life_ blooming all around."

It was such a careful, soft motion, the way Noctis looked to be concentrating so very _seriously_ for a moment as he moved to ever so gently, cautiously, let his fingers lightly trail along that scar as well. Lips twitched upward, just to feel it beneath his fingers; _solid_ but soft, a part of Ignis' reality in wakefulness and in sleep. "You remember, don't you? The way sunrise looked... sunsets. Stars?"

The sheer intimacy of the touch gave Ignis pause, an involuntary shiver moving through him. The question though gave him a different focus. "I do remember the stars.... Gladio says they're brighter than ever now. That you can see them even above the new city lights of Insomnia..." A quiet resignation clung to his voice, made him glance away almost shyly.

There was a _smile_ at the words, but at Ignis' own expression, the tone of his voice... Noctis' smile dropped somewhat, concerned. "Well that's... a good thing, isn't it?" Not that the other man could see them, he realized with a little wince, feeling very much as though he could kick himself.

Somehow, Ignis managed tact even within his dreamscape, but the creeping scent of rain-soaked earth and waterlogged books hinted at his true emotional state. After a moment of silence, he changed subjects by inquiring carefully, "Noct... have you visited the others this way?"

There was something more... visceral about the way things smelled in Ignis' dream than the others', more powerful and clear; and it definitely didn't rid the king of some worry, reaching out to take the brunet's hand just to try and be a comforting presence. There was a guilty kind of sheepishness in the smile he flashed again, the answer probably already clear. "I have. They didn't... _notice_ me. I'm not really sure they _understood_ me, either..." He trailed off with a little shake of his head. “We couldn't really _talk_ much. Or, I... guess they thought I was saying whatever they wanted to hear.”

He listened intently while slowly rubbing his thumb over the smooth of skin Noct's hand, in wonder at the sensation. But Ignis could still offer his theories, "Perhaps we _can_ converse since my dreams are often all dialogue and sound." With that fact in mind, he sought to clarify, "So they... simply considered you _part_ of their dream?"

Stretching his fingers out for a moment, letting Ignis touch him, he then lightly squeezed that hand with a soft laugh. "Gladio just greeted me like he expected me any minute. I guess he _did_ ; he needed help setting up a tent." Noctis couldn't help another little laugh at the idea. "But Prompto... he seemed surprised, at first. But he was much too excited to talk about finding chocobos again. Pretty sure the colors I saw don't really exist even in dyes, but it was nice to ride." There was a pleased little smile on his face, attention fully on Ignis. "I couldn't really... tell. After they woke up, if it was all... alright. But they seemed happy." _I want to make this dream happy for you, too._

Even unspoken, that suggestion lingered between them. Normally, more consideration would go into his words, but dreaming could be a very impulsive thing. "Then... if you can _visit_ us, can you _take_ us places as well, Noct?" Even before the king could respond, he'd already made up his mind on the matter, "Could you take me to our stargazing spot in Duscae? Let me see them once again with you?" Ignis had adapted, learned to live without so much or compensate for what he could. But he missed the sparkle of the stars against the dark curtain of the natural night... and Noct's presence steady and warm beside him. Perhaps this was a way he could experience both once again....

There was a bitter-sweetness to Noctis' smile for a moment, just before he became determined to focus more on the _sweet_. After all, it was them, together... and maybe they couldn't truly go _back_ , but it was all part of experiencing the moment, the present. "I think we can do that. And I might just know someone who can help." His expression turned a little playful as he closed his eyes, seemingly doing very little of _anything_ before--

Light. Just a small ball of it at the king's feet, which seemed to expand and fall away into a small _creature_ with green fur; immediately recognizable to anyone who knew of Noctis' keepsake. Bright eyes looked immediately to Ignis, a little chirped yip following... and then, suddenly, a tone on the brunet's phone before a slightly robotic voice followed, _"Hello, Ignis. You remember me, right?"_

At that point, Noctis simply blinked. He was used to Carbuncle communicating with _him_ , but as for others... He supposed he'd never really given it much thought. "And here I thought I was special." The comment was quiet, not really serious... but he appreciated the small paw placed on his foot just the same.

He hadn't even been aware of the device on his person, let alone of holding it when the tiny Astral spoke up. Not even bothering to _look_ at the smooth, glossy rectangle in his hand, Ignis focused his attention instead on the being before him. "I remember you well, Carbuncle. And I appreciate your dedication to accessibility," he answered with a soft smile, just before setting the phone aside to instead offer his hand for a pet.

The Astral looked every bit as pleased as he felt to be acknowledged in such a manner, ears relaxed and eyes closed. After the pet was over, however, he looked between the two men before asking Ignis directly via his phone, _"Are you ready, then?"_

"Not that it's really... that big a deal." Noctis tried assuring, realizing that it kind of was even if it kind of wasn't. Memories and dreamscapes were... complicated.

Single eyebrow arching at how nonchalant his companions were at the prospect of hopping between dreamscapes, Ignis found himself with no recourse but to trust. "Lead the way then, if you please," he invited with a little bow, before offering his arm to Noctis. To have it be a symbol of affection rather a necessary reliance was a wonderful change.

It got a warm, soft laugh out of the king, but no hesitation. Arms looped immediately, leaning in just a bit closer together than they really _needed_ to, the words were soft enough for only Ignis to hear. "My pleasure."

There was a notably _pleased_ flick of Carbuncle's tail as he turned; after all, those who protected Noctis were certainly also in his favor. Trotting ahead of them to one shelf in particular littered with overflowing pages and books, light once again began to emerge from his form as he gave a little sound of effort... and when the light dispersed, there was simply a seemingly empty _ring_ for them to walk through.

"Right into Duscae." Noctis promised, steps not slowing, having no uncertainty about where they were going.

As they approached the ring, the destination became clearer - Not only visually as the scenery filled the circle, but for all the senses. The aroma of the towering pines, the humidity of the breezes, the quiet calls of chocobos in the distance. Stepping through, reality seemed to _ripple_ around them, Noctis the only solid existence for him for a few moments before the landscape filled in around them. Rolling green grass beneath their feet first, followed by the soaring arches in earthen hues and the deep violet twilit sky above them. "Just as I remember," Ignis commented in a hush, eyes wide and wet with unshed tears.

"Well... this is _yours_ , mostly." Noctis' voice was nearly as quiet, knowing that any actual _fretting_ he did about Ignis would probably be pushed away... but he remained where he was, close, watching the man next to him as much as the land around them. The nostalgia, familiarity, _ached_ more than a little. So innocent, then, and so far away. He did take note of Carbuncle's seeming disappearance, even if he knew the Astral remained close. Privacy, then. "And a little of mine. I remember thinking about this a lot, after. Sort of... nice to be back with you." The understatement was a little bit extreme, he supposed, but there was just too _much_ to say, at times.

The meaning behind the words seemed to carry itself on the air, silently communicating the unspoken. "We spent so many nights sleeping under the stars," Ignis murmured quietly, the grassy ground beneath his feet illuminating with the centuries old symbols of safe havens in shifting shades of blue. But his eyes remained turned upwards, the heavens above reflected within. "Cuddled up half-asleep with the birds, amazed at how bright and beautiful the Via Lactea truly was..." His fingers traced out the white ribbon of stars over head, following their path to the horizon.

The smile was... well, it was _honest_ , first. But it also felt quite intense, as if even in a dream realm he could barely hold onto it in full; a pleased smile that went all the way through him, illuminated from inside. Just to see Ignis' joy and wonder was... _everything_... "Your memory's a lot better than I gave you credit for, you know. You remembered every star in the sky. More or less." He teased, glancing between the brunet and the sky overhead, both seeming equally solid and malleable at the same time.

With a tiny snort, Ignis gently argued, "Come now, surely you remember the _basics_." Pointing upwards, he traced out three bright stars twinkling near the apex of the sky. "There are Sleipnir's hooves and just above, at the center of Odin's crown, the Lodestar. The guiding light which all others revolve around." His gaze drifted back to Noctis just then, settling on his king with a fond smile.

Just as he'd longed to do in their younger days (and had finally _done_ when they were surely alone and unlikely to be "caught"), the king shifted to wrap one arm around Ignis and leaned close, looking up and following that pointing finger. He _did_ remember, honestly, it was just... "I needed a reminder." He defended himself, sure the smile wasn't going to cease anytime soon. Even as he acknowledged, "All kings are said to be born under Odin's crown... but I guess I just got lucky." He teased, not really feeling much in the way of _pride_ as simply finding it interesting.

A soft considering sound passed between Ignis' lips, momentarily ignoring the other implications of that fact. Instead, he kept his focus above, idly tracing out the wheel of the zodiac. "My stars should be right.... _there_ ," he quietly declared, etching out the shape with one finger. Quite literally as an illustrated version of constellation illuminated the night sky. "Bismarck, white whale of the heavenly seas, ushering in the misty mornings of Januarius."

"So what's that supposed to mean for you?" He asked lightly. "That you're steadfast and you cook well?" A gentle teasing, to be sure, only glancing away from the sky once to gauge reaction. "Studious. I bet the word 'studious' is in there somewhere."

"Not that I'm one to put my whole faith in horoscopes, but it may as well," he teased in kind, turning a bit more into their loose hold. "Not that you're one to talk - if it wasn't for Odin, you'd _technically_ be born under Siren. And all that implies." Which were only mild accusations of fickleness and self-serving behaviors, there still remained several other lascivious connotations.

Despite his age, his experience, despite where they were and exactly how, Noctis managed to duck his head, ever so slightly "hiding" against Ignis' chest. After a couple of seconds of silence, he attempted nonchalance. "Well, I suppose that's... good to know. I'm sure others would say it explained a few things... but I can't help but think you may have had this conversation before." Catching the man's gaze (and his eyes were beautiful, even here, even as they appeared in the dreamscape), he admitted playfully, "I have no regrets, you know."

His throat turned tight at that point, his tongue giving a short click that still seemed to bounce all across the landscape. "I... I _hoped_ so," Ignis managed, voice and form alike slightly wavering with the emotion. Taking in a steadying breath of the cool night air - illusionary as it was - he continued, "I know everything we did was for the sake of Eos itself, but we sacrificed _so much_ , Noct. There are days I feel as though I gave every ounce of sweat, every drop of blood, every bit of marrow and then some..... and yet, I could never have what I _loved most_ in this world." His hands cupped the king's face - reverent as always even with their subtle shake - to memorize this "sight" by touch, that he may still remember it when he would once again wake up alone.

His heart sank, fighting not to look away, not to _run_ from exactly what was unfolding before him. Something else he felt like he had no power over, no real choice in to begin with. Taking in a shaky breath, his hands rested lightly over the other man's. "No regrets, save one." The smile was meant to be honest even if it was forced somewhat. "I am... _sorry_ , Ignis." Noctis admitted, determined to keep his voice even. Failed a bit already, but even so. "You all gave... _yourselves_. Every ounce, every second... And I..." He finally trailed off with a little shake of his head. Fate, destiny; born to die. "I'm sorry I could only bring you Dawn. And not everything you'd ever wanted." That, he meant from the bottom of his heart.

" _I know,_ " came the words in a rush, falling from his lips as the first tears rolled down his cheek in hot, wet streaks. Stripped away from the restraints of the waking world to reveal the emotional id within, Ignis' eloquence too fell to the wayside as he murmured between peppering kisses on a brow that had born the heaviest crown of all, "I know that you gave ten years within the longest, darkest night to bring us the Dawn. I know what I wanted wasn't yours to _give_." Drawing in closer, enough that his tenuously held form almost directly merged with Noctis', he begged softly, "But please, grant that I can stay the night."

It hurt to see the depth of Ignis' pain. Everything he'd kept inside of himself, _by_ himself... The king didn't doubt some conversations were had with Gladio or Prompto, but Noctis knew this man. Knew the depths of his resolve... sometimes to his own detriment. It would have been a disservice to close his eyes against his own tears, even if he dearly wanted to. "I still... can't give you _everything_ you want, you already know..." He started out, throat feeling raw, voice more than a little _broken_. Fully solid form or not, he _needed_ the brunet close, to feel their bodies against one another. "But I can grant you that." The least he could do, the very _least_ \- and the _most_ at the same time. _If I could keep you here..._

But he yet belonged to waking world for a while longer, until his time too would come. Even now, that tether to the mortal coil threatened to pull him back awake at a moment's notice, adding a desperate element to his returning cling to Noctis. Even in his darkest hour, Ignis had never sought out comfort like this, had allowed himself to fully _grieve_ for all he had lost. "Thank you, Noct," he managed, his voice so small in that moment. Instinctively, he continued to curl around his king... until even gravity released its hold on them and let them float freely within the dreamscape.

Noctis himself did not let go. _Would_ not; there was no fear for their safety, not here under the Astral's watchful eye, but to see the man crumble... no, maybe that wasn't the right word. At least, it was a _temporary_ crumble, if anything; Ignis was strong enough to pick up the pieces and rebuild, always. But, the getting there... The king wished he could help more directly. More than a handful of dreams when he could manage it; but wishes were one thing, and the moment presented to them was another, and he was determined to embrace that moment with all he had. All _around_ them were stars, suddenly; though the ground didn't seem all that far below, safety should they need it. He didn't try to hush Ignis, didn't comfort him beyond the hold and an occasional soft hum in his throat, enjoying the embrace. "You're too damn strong for your own good, you know." The words finally came quietly, roughly, teasing and honest.

"I... _we_ had to be. For each other, for Lucis... for Eos," he murmured, not _lamenting_ the fact, simply accepting the truth of it. "There was no time for selfish desires." Such as burying his face into Noctis' hair, inhaling the aroma as silent tears rolled down to rest amid stray locks. That same scent of tea tree oil shampoo, the soothing combination of spice and mint and pine helping to even out his breathing and pulse. Enough to solidify his form for the moment, to allow Ignis to recline them back in the open air as they continued drifting.

They'd already been touching, indulging in the act and the sensation, but there was something about that _intent_ , that _will,_ which made it seem so much more... _solid_. Mysterious as dreams were, Noctis supposed, eyes still damp despite his smile as he lightly stroked through Ignis' hair, over the back of his neck. "I know. I... always knew." His free hand reached for the other man's, gently lacing their fingers together. The time they had together, all of them, hadn't really been _theirs_... but they'd made the best of it. "Always at my side, at my back. Suffering with me..." It had seemed like an overdramatic term to use; at least, until he'd spoken it out loud. The truth of the matter, really. He shook his head, shook the thoughts away with them. "You always made it worth taking another step. I never felt like... you weren't with me." Never left to a lonely fate.

There could be no lies here, nothing hidden with everything laid bare, "Every day without fail, I would draw my dagger from the Armiger. I knew that if the magic still flowed, you were still alive _somewhere_. My glimmer of hope amid the darkness." Now though, in this moment cuddled together, that magic bloomed to life once more, having remained dormant since the Dawn. Feeling it sing within his veins once more  pacified Ignis, like a long lost lullaby twinkling in the night air. Just as the stars shimmered around them, tiny sparks of warmth brushing against them as they drifted through the Via Lactea. "You were always my _light_ , Noctis. My star on earth."

There was just a little _sound_ from his parted lips at those words. He'd always known Ignis had a bit of a natural flare for the poetic, but some things... some concepts simply weren't touched upon. He supposed they all held themselves back, couldn't quite speak the words. Off in the distance there was a flare, a flash of light; a supernova of a sort that might have made him laugh under other circumstances. At the very least, the flow of tears was slow... cathartic in its own way, clinging closer to the man moving with him through the stars. "Not fair, Iggy." He protested weakly, trying to stop himself from sniffing. "I didn't even... have the chance to _think_..." The thought trailed off, unimportant. "You were always... my flame. My warmth and safety."

His smile slowly returned with those words, his free hand flitting up to cup one cheek. Carefully, Ignis swiped away the remaining tears, casting them off to join the stars flitting about them. "That's all I ever wanted. Well, and _this_..." The kiss naturally evolved from the touch, slow and soft and sweet. Savoring the citrus spice and sparking magic on Noctis' tongue, he let the kiss linger. To the point that _eons_ seemed to pass by in the distance, a mere footnote to the perfect, pure connection their souls shared.

Time was lost. Reality, space, all simply lost to his perception. It didn't _matter_ ; the only thing worth his focus at that moment was the press of lips, warm and soft and _real_ , both feeling the gentle lines of scars and not being able to feel them at all. That didn't matter, either. What he'd have given in life... no, none of that was his to give. It wasn't air they pulled back for, but the urge to look into one another's eyes, reflect, invite more... " _This_ is mine to give now, Ignis."

He wasn't even sure when the shift had happened, for the king to be hovering above him as the kiss broke. Not that it even mattered in that moment as allowed himself a long, loving look into those deep blue eyes so perfectly illuminated by stars. Still gentle and wise but all the stress finally soothed away. "Noct," he murmured, fingertips trailing along his stubble, "I waited nearly 4000 nights for you. Promise me you'll give me even a _fraction_ spent like this and that will be enough for me."

There remained the telltale shine of tears already shed, but it was all simply... different in that moment, taking the request to heart as he hands smoothed over Ignis' back. Tilting his head to press ever so lightly into the touch offered to him, smiling softly but honestly, Noctis assured, "I think that is an easy promise to make. Time is still..." He trailed off, not really have an _explanation_ , let alone a _word_ , but he assumed that the other man would understand his meaning. "This isn't the last time." A promise, sworn deep and _meant_. "And we still have a good deal of the night to go now." Despite the little flash of a playful grin, his strongest and most precious longing was just to look into those green eyes--not their physical forms, not anything that _could_ be damaged or stolen--and simply... _be_ there. Complete and in full.

Each and every sense filled with Noctis' presence, the two of them drifting through a tranquil star sea, was all he needed to set his soul at ease. Completely relaxed beneath his king, that warm weight felt so comforting as he fell into an every deeper sleep. Sounding sweetly drowsy even within a dream, Ignis made one last request, "Noct... that piano melody you loved so much, do you think I could hear it again?"

Stroking through the other man's soft hair, the quiet hum was both understanding and agreement. As much as it seemed nearly wrong to close his eyes against the wondrous image around and just in front of him, he did so for just a moment as if to draw that sound out, music swelling gently from nowhere and everywhere with ease before his eyes opened again. "Funny. I don't think I've actually remembered that in a... long time." The chuckle was almost lazy, though miracle of miracles, he actually didn't feel _tired_.

The same couldn't be said for the actual _dreamer_ , his eyes fluttering shut for a moment as he let the melody wash over him. Of all his senses, his hearing remained the best trained and here with no other distractions, Ignis could pick out every last lovely detail. "I've always enjoyed it," he murmured, only vaguely aware as night shifted into dawn. From the Via Lactea to a bank of clouds, all sweet comfort surrounding them still. "Noct... if I drift off," a yawn slipped in-between words, just as his form began to settle into the cloud, "know that I love you...."

There was a gentle swell in the music as well as his chest, the king merely taking a moment to breathe it in, absorb and reflect. The motion of his hand didn't stop, still running his fingers through familiar brown hair, holding Ignis close to him. "I love you too, Iggy." It was so _easy_ there; no expectations, no consequences. "And know that I... I'm always here with you. Somehow. I always will be." There was a bittersweetness to that promise, perhaps, but the sweetness itself was infinitely more important.

"Thank you," he sighed out once more, imbuing those words with such fondness despite how soft they were. Safe and protected under the king's care, Ignis finally gave himself over to the current of that wonderful, deep restful sleep that normally proved so elusive. A blessed peace that only came from being once more wrapped up in Noctis' arms.

He sensed it, _felt_ it more than anything else; the way Ignis slipped deeper, warm and relaxed. Noctis was careful to restrain the chuckling to himself to be as quiet as possible, intending to _keep_ holding on until wakefulness safely pulled the man from his arms. "Got your back." He teased in a whisper, moving to kiss each of the other man's eyelids with a feather-soft brush of lips.

" _Always_."

**Author's Note:**

> Schala here again, back for the ending notes. I made sure to do research on how those who are blind dream as soon as I had the idea for this fic. A lot of it comes from articles ([National Geographic](http://phenomena.nationalgeographic.com/2014/02/26/how-the-blind-dream/), [Ozy](http://www.ozy.com/acumen/what-is-it-like-for-blind-people-to-dream/31902), [Van Winkle's](https://vanwinkles.com/what-do-the-blind-dream-about)) based around a study done for Sleep Medicine - "[The sensory construction of dreams and nightmare frequency in congenitally blind and late blind individuals.](http://www.sleep-journal.com/article/S1389-9457\(14\)00037-9/abstract)" 
> 
> Even with how varied and illogical dreamscapes can be, I wanted there to be certain rules to how Ignis dreamed naturally. Which meant that any visual imagery would consist of desaturated colors, roughly defined shapes, and faces slightly blurred. Even his own concept of self was to be vaguely defined visually. Instead, there were to be instances where sound and smell and touch were far more important. And as we explained, those differences in dreaming led to Ignis being able to distinguish Noctis as not part of his own consciousness. It also makes for a clear demarcation between Ignis' dreams and the dreamscapes created by Noct and Carbuncle. 
> 
> Additionally, I came up with the ideas of the constellation names drawing from other FF summons as well as using the Latin names for the months on Eos and for the Milky Way. Just small things that I felt added to establishing this fic as part of the world of FFXV.
> 
> No matter what, we hope you enjoyed this fic!


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